Preventing

Core Exercises for Skydivers

by Mike Semanoff

photos of Holly Semanoff by Mike Semanoff

Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. If you have any questions
about the exercises contained in this article, consult with a local certified professional.

ts realistic for jumpers to think of their equipment as the most

important part of the skydive. However, until someone gets
injured, he often takes for granted that his body is what allows
him to experience skydiving in the first place. The most important muscles for skydiving are the core group. Core muscles protect
the spine and are at the center of all movement in freefall. When the
core gets destabilized due to tight or weak muscle groups, we
become susceptible to back pain, injury and limited freefall agility.
The good news is that there are simple exercises and stretches that
will help to ensure the stability of this important muscle group. Maintaining the body is just as important as maintaining gear when it
comes to enjoying a long, pain-free skydiving career.
Many of us find ourselves in a seated position for long periods of
time, supported by nice, comfortable chairs. Frequently sitting in a
chair for long periods reduces the bodys need to support its own
spine, and the spine no longer stabilizes itself. This seated position
also puts the hip flexor muscles (the muscles that move the thigh
toward the abdomen) in a shortened position, leading to a tight
muscle group that pulls and tilts the hips forward. This leaves the
back in an unnatural and unstable position. Most importantly, having
tight hip flexors reduces our ability to hit our standard freefall-arched
position and can place strain on our lower lumbar region.

STRengThening exeRCiSeS
hand and Knee Balance
Opposite arm and leg extensions are balance and stabilization exercises that
strengthen the muscles running down the sides of the spine, back of shoulders
and buttocks.

Begin on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders
and your knees directly under your hips. Keep your back flat and buttocks and abdomen tight. Lift one arm up and forward until it is parallel with your back. With that arm extended, lift the opposite leg in
the same manner. Keep your face down, and your head aligned with
your spine. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the
opposite arm and leg.

Shortened and Weak Muscles Cause Back Pain

Plank and Side Plank

Shortened muscles can throw the spine out of alignment and cause
back pain. Tight back, gluteal (buttocks), hamstring (back-of-thigh) or
quadricep (front-of-thigh) muscles can affect the alignment of the
spine. Stretching these muscles increases the mobility of the hips and
allow the spine to reside in its natural position. The following exercises
are designed with the typical skydiver in mind; they are quick, easy to
do at the DZ and performing them requires no equipment.
When exercising, it is a good idea to start with strength exercises;
doing so warms up the muscles for a more effective stretch later in
the workout. All of these exercises can be safely done every day, but
doing them two to three days a week will be effective. The muscle
groups that these exercises target are posture muscles and naturally
have a lot of endurance, so hold each position for at least 20 to 30
seconds or longer. Unless otherwise specified, do each exercise once.
These exercises wont give you a six pack but they are effective at
stabilizing, providing protection and adding mobility to the spine.

This exercise for the back and abdomen strengthens your obliques (side abdominal
muscles) as well as the arms and legs.

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Parachutist, June 09 I uspa.org

For the plank, lie on your stomach and place your elbows and forearms on the floor. Raise yourself on your toes and elbows while keeping your back and legs straight (like a plank). Tighten your abs with
your feet, knees, hips, shoulders and head aligned.

The Spine Roll Up

This is designed to strengthen several core muscle groups.

To perform a side plank, place your right forearm and right foot on
the floor. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides. If
this exercise is too difficult, balance on your knees instead of your toes.

Reverse Crunch
This is an exercise which tightens your lower abdomen.

Lie flat on your back, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and
keep your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abs. Raise your buttocks
off of the floor by lifting one vertebra at a time until your shoulder
and knees are in a straight line. Hold for a count of five. Slowly lower
your buttocks one vertebra at a time to the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Stretching Exercises
Hip Flexor and Quadriceps Stretches

Lie flat on your back, with your feet off the ground and your knees
bent at about 90 degrees. Place your hands under your buttocks for
support, and make sure your lower back remains flat on the floor. Lift
your buttocks a few inches straight toward the ceiling. Try to hold
this for a moment before lowering yourself back down. Do 10 to 15
repetitions of this exercise.

Freefall
This is an exercise for the back.

Lie flat on your stomach in a neutral freefall position. Raise your

chest and knees off the ground in an arched freefall position for five
to 10 seconds before relaxing; repeat this eight to 10 times.

Place your left knee on the ground; roll your hips forward until you
feel your hip flexors stretch. Hold for 20 seconds. Then, grab the ankle
of the leg bent behind you and gently pull your heel toward your
buttocks until you feel a gentle pull on the front of your thigh; hold
for 15 to 20 seconds. Switch sides.
uspa.org I Parachutist, June 09 I 47

Preventing

Sit on the floor and place your right foot on the ground with the
knee at a 90 degree angle, then place your left ankle just above the
knee on your right leg and lean forward. Hold for 30 seconds and
then repeat on the other side.

One thing to keep in mind when training your abs and core muscles
is to work all of your muscles equally. Think of your spine as being like
the mast of a sailboat held in place by ropes. If you tighten up one set
of ropes more than another, the mast will be forced in one direction,
lose structural integrity and throw off the balance of the whole ship.
The exercises presented in this article are a simple and effective way to
create stability and mobility for your spine. The protection which
results from these exercises can add many pain-free years to your skydiving career and give you more control of your body in freefall. Take
the time to give your body the preventative maintenance it deserves,
and it will keep you in the sky soaring with the eagles.
z
About the Author
Mike Semanoff, D-25385, is a Natural
Bodybuilding Champion who is certied as
a trainer by the National Academy of Sports
Medicine, the International Sports Sciences
Association and the National College of
Exercise Professionals. He is a tandem
instructor who has more than 400 tandem
skydives. His website is www.mikesemano.com.

gluteals (Buttocks) Stretch

for

Tandem Instructors

Sit on your rear, pull your right foot under your left gluteal muscle,
place your left foot next to your right knee, and hug your left knee.
Hold for 15 to 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

Tandem instructors need to pay

particular attention to the stability
of their core. Every time the tandem
instructor tightens up the lateral
straps on a student, he places
unnatural strain on the lower lumbar region of his spine. When a tandem instructor tightens the lateral
straps, he should pull his lower abs
in toward his spine and tighten the
core muscles, which will help to
stabilize and protect his spine.
Instructors who are conscious of
this during their pre-jump procedures will greatly reduce the risk of
developing back pain later in life.

uspa.org I Parachutist, June 09 I 49

MICHAEL NEVOUX

Piriformis (Muscle Beneath the gluteals) Stretch